Native American Legal Update

New York Times: Twilight And New Moon "Sucking The Quileute Dry"

Greg Guedel — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:27:10 -0800

This site has commented previously on cultural issues arising from the blockbuster film Twilight and its recent sequel New Moon. This week the New York Times features commentary by Angela R. Riley regarding the economic impact of the film and book series on the Quileute Nation, whose members are portrayed as shape-shifting wolf people locked in a centuries-long battle with local vampires.

Ms. Riley is Associate Director of the American Indian Studies Center at UCLA. Her analysis of the economic circumstances of the Nation is succinct:

“Twilight” has made all things Quileute wildly popular: Nordstrom.com sells items from Quileute hoodies to charms bearing a supposed Quileute werewolf tattoo. And a tour company hauls busloads of fans onto the Quileute reservation daily. Yet the Tribe has received no payment for this commercial activity. Meanwhile, half of Quileute families still live in poverty.

Celebrating Chief Phillip Martin -- "The Moses Of The Choctaws"

Greg Guedel — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:38:00 -0800

Hailed as "The Moses of the Choctaws" and "The Indians' Lee Iaccoca," Phillip Martin led the Choctaw Nation of Mississippi into printing and manufacturing of auto parts and electronics at the Mississippi reservation once called "the worst poverty pocket in the poorest state of the Union." Mr. Martin, who died Thursday at age 83, became chairman in 1959, and then elective chief until 2007.

By the 1990s, the Mississippi Choctaws had moved so far up the wage scale that they moved some of their lower-paid industrial jobs to Mexico. The Nation then concentrated on higher-margin businesses, including golf courses, a water park and two casinos. Revenue from the various businesses was spent on medical care, housing and primary education. Tribe members were granted scholarships to attend any U.S. university.

While Chief Martin was in office, the Nation introduced Choctaw language and cultural affairs preservation programs. As Choctaw chairman in the late 1960s, Mr. Martin used federal money to create a construction company employing Native workers. He convinced the nearby city of Philadelphia, Mississippi to underwrite a bond issue that financed an industrial park, and convinced General Motors to manufacture there and the American Greetings Corporation to print cards there. The Nation, which is one of the biggest employers in Mississippi, has said its business assets are worth over $1 billion. In the two decades ending in 1999, household income on the reservation, home now to about 9,000 people, jumped to $24,100 from $2,500, while unemployment fell from over 75% to about 2%.

NAFOA Conference Call On Tribal Finance - 10 February

Greg Guedel — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:19:13 -0800

Native American Finance Officers Association Conference Call Series
“Indian Country Financing at a Crossroads”
A Primer to NAFOA’s Next Decade Finance Conference
Wednesday, February 10 – 10:00AM Pacific / 1:00PM Eastern
Dial-In Number: (800) 965–6503
Conference ID: 54703566

NAFOA’s experts will weigh in on the recent Lac du Flambeau management decision, and then take a broader look at the potential crisis that may emerge with future tribal defaults. This call will begin to address the situations that will be discussed in greater depth and breadth at NAFOA’s “Next Decade Finance Conference,” March 16-17 in New Orleans.

The call will be moderated by NAFOA President Bill Lomax, who has been actively working with Tribal governments most of his career and has several years experience working on Wall Street helping tribes with financing and investments. An enrolled member of the Gitxsan Nation, Bill teaches in the area of financial literacy and has acted as a trainer in numerous Tribal financial education sessions

Can Theft Of Native Culture Occur - On Ice-Skating Costumes?

Greg Guedel — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:33:11 -0800

(Nick Verreos)

Russian figure-skaters Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin are among the favorites to win gold at next month's Winter Olympics in Vancouver. However, the costumes and skating routine they have chosen have provoked less-favorable reviews from Aboriginal scholars and activists. The theme for their ice-dancing routine is intended as a tribute to Aboriginal peoples, with the skaters wearing suits with Native-inspired designs and their music featuring samples of Aboriginal instruments.

Despite good intentions, the pair have been criticized for co-opting cultural traditions without due respect or understanding. Bev Manton, chairwoman of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, declared the skaters had misappropriated "a foreign culture, and used [it] inappropriately." "We see it as stealing Aboriginal culture," said Sol Bellear, a member of the Aboriginal Land Council.

Tribal Stimulus? South Dakota Sioux Left In The Cold

Greg Guedel — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:55:19 -0800

(Central Connecticut State University)

“They're out there melting snow and keeping a look out for any water they can use.”

“Schools have been out of session for a week and will likely be unable to open their doors for at least another week.”

“These events are showing just how painfully inadequate our emergency response capabilities are.”

In the midst of one of the worst winter storms in memory, the members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe are struggling for survival. Located roughly 200 miles northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota, the Cheyenne River Reservation is home to 10,000 residents who have been without electricity and potable water for days. Worse still, the storms have critically damaged what little energy infrastructure the Tribe did have, making restoration of power and heat even more difficult. Freezing rain and wind have snapped off wooden power poles carrying the transmission wires. “Because of one ice storm, we had over 3,000 downed electrical lines and mass power outages," said Tracey Fischer, chief executive and president of First Nations Oweesta Corporation, a national nonprofit working on economic development in Native communities.

The problems from a lack of power in winter are compounded by the lack of running water. Although much has been said regarding the federal stimulus package and its components designed to assist Tribes with needed infrastructure, the Cheyenne River Tribe has for years asked Congress for funds to restore its ancient water system, which is decades overdue for an upgrade. The total cost would be about $65 million, but so far no allocation of federal funds has been made for the project.

Tribe Signs Landmark Union Labor Contract For Casino Dealers

Greg Guedel — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:45:03 -0800

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has reached a tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) for a labor contract and collective bargaining on behalf of 2500 of table-game dealers at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. The agreement is unique both for its scale – Foxwoods is billed as the largest resort casino in the United States – and for the fact that it was negotiated in the context of Tribal law rather than federal labor law.

The agreement has several facets that differ significantly from typical union labor contracts. The Nation’s laws prohibit strikes by workers and lockouts by owners, so the contract does not contain a strike provision. In the event of a labor dispute that cannot be resolved through negotiation, the matter will be submitted to private arbitration for resolution. The contract provides an average 12 percent increase in dealers' wages over two years, changes the distribution of tips for dealers, includes programs to reduce repetitive stress injuries, and creates a 24-table smoke-free gaming pit for workers and customers who prefer a smoke-free environment.

For the UAW, the agreement is being heralded as a major victory in their union organizing efforts. "Working together, we proved casino workers can successfully exercise their right to have a union under tribal law," said UAW Region 9A Director Bob Madore. "Our settlement demonstrates what we have known all along: that tribal sovereignty and employee rights need not be inconsistent. We value the investment and jobs the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe has brought to Connecticut, and we look forward to promoting this exciting resort as a destination of choice for working families and union members across New England."

For the Mashantucket Pequot Nation, the agreement may provide a measure of financial predictability for its casino operations. The casino, by far the Nation’s largest revenue source, is behind in its debt repayments and has been working with creditors to restructure its financing. The agreement with the UAW sets wage and benefit rates for two years, and eliminates the potential for labor unrest or further legal battles with the union or the federal government.

Mashantucket Pequot Reaches Deal To Extend Foxwoods Casino Debt Forbearance

Greg Guedel — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:51:44 -0800

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, owner of Foxwoods Resort Casino, has reached a new agreement in principle with its senior lenders to extend a debt forbearance agreement. The agreement is designed to provide more time to improve the casino’s cash flow and repayment ability as it works to restructure $2.3 billion of debt. The existing forbearance agreement would have expired January 20th; the new agreement extends the timeline to April 30, 2010.

The agreement in principle has been made with a majority of the Tribal nation’s lenders and will be finalized and executed shortly, according to the Tribe’s spokesperson. The statement emphasized that the Nation's debt restructuring efforts are separate and distinct from operations at Foxwoods and will not have any impact on guests, employees, suppliers or business partners at Foxwoods or MGM Grand at Foxwoods.

“Foxwoods remains committed to providing its guests with its signature guest service, unparalleled gaming options, the very best in entertainment, and world-class services, dining and amenities,” according to the statement.

Podcast: Legal Issues For Native-Owned Small Businesses

Greg Guedel — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:24:25 -0800

Native Talk Radio has aired an hour-long program regarding legal issues affecting Native-owned small businesses, and the unique factors of conducting business in and around Tribal communities. Host Annie O’Brien interviewed Foster Pepper’s Native American Legal Services Chair Greg Guedel on start-up considerations, contracts, government procurement programs, legal disputes, and a range of other topics pertinent to Native business ventures.

Download the podcast HERE, on Foster Pepper’s iTunes page, or from the Native Talk Radio homepage.

Native American Legal Update Now Available On Amazon Kindle

Greg Guedel — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:12:17 -0800

We are happy to report that Newstex, with Amazon Kindle, is extending this website into new and exciting technologies, such as e-book reading devices. Native American Legal Update is now available on the Kindle store, and you can subscribe to this site on the Kindle and take it wherever you go.

How do Blogs work on the Kindle? Unlike reading blogs on your PC, Kindle blogs are downloaded onto the device so you can read them even when you're not wirelessly connected. Unlike RSS readers which often only provide headlines, blogs on Kindle also give you full text content and images.

NAFOA Issues Statement On Controversial Tribal Bond Repayment Case

Greg Guedel — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:57:41 -0800

Bill Lomax, President of the Native American Finance Officers Association, has issued the following statement regarding the recent federal court decision in the Lac du Flambeau bond repayment case.

Dear Tribal Leaders and Finance Officers,

I am writing to inform you about a case concerning a Tribal bond issuance that has recently been decided and, in theory, has potential implications for any Tribe that currently has financing or may be seeking financing for a Tribal project.

The Decision:
On January 6, 2010, the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin (the “Court”) issued an order in the case of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee v. Lake of the Torches Economic Development Corporation. This order invalidates the trust indenture for $46,615,000 of bonds issued by a tribal corporation of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (“LDF”) for the refinancing of the Lake of Torches Casino and other LDF debt. In this order, the Court ruled that the indenture amounted to a management contract and is void due to failure to seek the required National Indian Gaming Commission approval.

Some have suggested that this case may have dire consequences for all Tribes seeking financing. We have consulted with some of the top attorneys in Indian country and believe that this case is “sui generis” or unique in its facts and are hopeful that it will not have widespread application to the Native American community.

The Risk of Existing Tribal Trust Indentures or Financing Agreements Being Invalidated as Management Contracts:

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act prohibits Tribes from entering into management agreements for casinos without review and prior approval by the Chairman of the NIGC. A financing arrangement risks being invalidated in its entirety if it includes provisions that could be construed as providing the lender with rights of management. The Court concluded that the bond indenture in the LDF financing does not comply with NIGC guidelines related to impermissible elements of management control.

Some have suggested that this case could lead to other Tribal trust indentures and financing agreements being invalidated as management contracts. We at NAFOA do not think this is the case. The trust indenture in the LDF case includes several critical provisions not commonly found in Tribal gaming financings.

One highly experienced Indian country attorney we consulted has suggested that “the trust indenture is like none [he has] ever seen and clearly does not conform with the standards set by the NIGC.” For example, according to the pleadings in this case, the indenture included provisions: 1) requiring bondholder approval of changes to specified senior management of LDF’s casino operation; 2) permitting bondholders to direct LDF to hire new management in the event of default by LDF; 3) upon certain financial covenant violations, requiring LDF to retain an independent gaming management consultant and thereafter use “best efforts” to implement the recommendations of such consultant; and 4) permitting the appointment of a receiver over casino revenues and casino equipment in the event of a default by LDF. The Court concluded that these provisions, among others, overstep NIGC rules concerning a lender’s ability to assert management powers within a financing agreement.

We believe that few trust indentures or other financing agreements in Indian country are likely to have provisions similar to the ones mentioned above and we think this will limit the applicability of this case to other Tribes. Thus, it is our hope that Tribes and their lenders need not be concerned about the validity of their financing agreements.

We do however have some concerns about the broad language used by the Court in this case. In addition to the provisions noted above, the Court included references to some commonly used provisions often found in trust indentures and loan agreements. We are hopeful that the National Indian Gaming Commission will provide some guidance so as to avoid confusion about which of the provisions, taken together or separately, would constitute a management contract if included in a trust indenture or loan agreement.

For detailed information on Tribal bond issues and the impact of current legal decisions, contact Jeff Nave, Marc Greenough, or Bill Tonkin.

National Native American Law Student Competition, 18-20 February In South Dakota

Greg Guedel — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:32:52 -0800

On February 18-20, 2010 the University of South Dakota School of Law will host the National Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) Moot Court Competition, in conjunction with a scholarly symposium co-sponsored by the South Dakota Law Review and the USD NALSA chapter and with the biennial Dillon Lecture on Indian law. The symposium represents the first time the annual Law Review Symposium has been combined with the NALSA Indian Law Symposium.

Student teams from across the country will participate in the National NALSA Moot Court Competition. Teams already registered include the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, University of California-Berkeley, University of Colorado, Columbia University, Gonzaga University, University of Hawaii, University of Iowa, Kansas University, Lewis & Clark University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, University of New Mexico, University of North Dakota, University of Oklahoma, Stanford University, University of Tulsa, UCLA, University of Wisconsin, and William Mitchell College of Law.

The appellate problem for the competition has been drafted by USD Professor Frank Pommersheim, an internationally recognized Indian law expert who sits on several tribal supreme courts. It will involve issues of free exercise of religion in Indian Country. Judges for the Moot Court Competition will include members of the tribal, federal, and state judiciary and lawyers with expertise in Indian law. The Dillon Lecture will be presented by Professor Matthew Fletcher (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians), Director of the Indigenous Law & Policy Center of the Michigan State University College of Law. Professor Fletcher is a co-author of the leading national casebook on federal Indian law and a judge and consultant to tribal supreme courts.

Sponsorship opportunities are available and the funds will be used for the expenses of the National NALSA Moot Court Competition and NALSA Indian Law/South Dakota Law Review Symposium, including the original Donald Montileaux artwork and permission to use it for the Moot Court Competition materials; a graduate assistantship; additional staff support; honoraria for the Dillon Lecturer and Symposium panelists; travel expenses for Symposium speakers and Moot Court judges; meals for judges and competitors, including the Jackie Bird family program for the Friday night dinner and a Saturday night awards banquet; awards and prizes; and miscellaneous supplies and facilities cleaning costs. Any donations in excess of the expenses will be added to the NALSA scholarship endowment, which provides scholarship assistance to tribally enrolled students who attend the University of South Dakota School of Law.

Ruling In Lac du Flambeau Casino Bond Case Highlights Tribal Sovereignty Power Against Creditors

Greg Guedel — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:34:53 -0800

When the Lac du Flambeau Tribe fell behind on repaying $50 million in bonds that financed its casino in northern Wisconsin, bond issuer Wells Fargo asked a federal judge to appoint a receiver to run the casino and increase payments on the debt service. As reported on Turtletalk, the judge refused based on principles of Tribal sovereignty, leaving the bank and bondholders with few legal options other than negotiating with the Tribe.

In 2008, the Lac du Flambeau issued bonds to provide capital for the construction and operation of its casino. The bonds carried interest at 12% and required a monthly payment from the Tribe of approximately $800,000. With the economy plunging and over $46 million still to be repaid on the bonds, the Tribe stopped setting aside money to service the debt. Wells Fargo then filed suit in federal court to appoint a receiver to run the casino, in accordance with the terms of the bond agreement the Tribe executed with the bank.

The Tribe argued that the receivership clause in the bond agreement was so broad that it was actually a management agreement that would require approval by the National Indian Gaming Commission. The Commission had not been involved in negotiating the deal and did not provide any approval, therefore the Tribe argued that the agreement was void. The judge’s refusal to appoint a receiver essentially validated that position, leaving Wells Fargo with no direct ability to take control over the casino’s operations. “The entire agreement is a void issue,” said Tribal administrator William Beson.

The judge’s decision means the Tribe is not legally responsible to pay back the money, said Monica Riederer, the Tribe’s attorney. However, she said that does not mean the Tribe will completely renege on the debt. “They will do whatever they’re legally required to do,” Riederer said. Meanwhile, investors and Tribes across the country will no doubt closely monitor the impact this situation has on the ability of Tribal entities to obtain future bond financing. Having no ability to enforce collection of a bond debt is “a nightmare for investors,” said Megan Neuburger, an analyst who follows the Indian gaming industry for Fitch Ratings. “It’s sort of an investor’s worst-case fear.”

Tribes Work Through National Park Service To Block Windfarm In Traditional Native Waters

Greg Guedel — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:54:26 -0800

A controversial wind farm project to be located off Cape Cod, Massachusetts has been stalled after local Tribes convinced the National Park Service to declare Nantucket Sound eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The Mashpee Wampanoag and the Aquinnah Wampanoag applied for the listing last fall, stating that the 130 proposed wind turbines would interfere with their spiritual ritual of greeting the sunrise which requires unobstructed views across the sound, and disturb ancestral burial grounds. The project has been in development since 2001 and is supported by state authorities.

The decision by the National Park Service does not terminate the project, but it requires more negotiations and potential changes to the project and/or its location. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar set a deadline of March 1, 2010 for the Tribes and the project’s developer, Energy Management Inc., to reach a compromise. Cedric Cromwell, chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, said the decision confirmed “what the Wampanoag people have known for thousands of years: that Nantucket Sound has significant archaeological, historic and cultural values and is sacred to our people.”

Nantucket Sound, which encompasses more than 500 square miles, is by far the largest body of water ever found eligible for listing on the national historic register. “The decision is without precedent in terms of implicating many square miles of what is, legally speaking, the high seas,” said Ian A. Bowles, the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

In seeking the historical designation, the Wampanoag tribes — whose name translates to “people of the first light” — said their view to the east across Nantucket Sound was integral to their identity and cultural traditions. “Here is where we still arrive to greet the new day, watch for celestial observations in the night sky and follow the migration of the sun and stars in change with the season,” wrote Bettina Washington, historic preservation officer for the Aquinnah Wampanoag, in a letter to federal officials. The Tribes also argued that the wind turbines, which would be 440 feet tall, could destroy long-submerged tribal artifacts from thousands of years ago, when the sound was dry land. Such artifacts could “yield further confirmation of our cultural histories,” according to Ms. Washington.

US Census Promises Special Focus On Native Population Count

Greg Guedel — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:49:10 -0800

The once-per-decade United States Census kicks off in April 2010, and the manager for the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Indian/Alaska Native Program is leading a focused effort to obtain an accurate count of the Native American and Alaska Native populations within the United States.

Program Director Curtis Zunigha, a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians in Oklahoma, is already undertaking population counts in isolated sectors of Alaska, even though Census Day is April 1. “We’re actually beginning our remote Alaska operation in January. Many of the Alaska Natives engage in subsistence hunting and fishing in the spring in camps that our enumerators wouldn’t be able to find and they’re not going to get anything in the mail, so we’re going in early to the Native village of Noorvik. They’re a partner and the Tribal leadership has agreed to host the very first enumeration.”

Partnership is the key to a successful census, Zunigha said.

“After the first enumeration in Noorvik, we’ll be going village to village all across those remote areas all through the State of Alaska and getting these people counted early. And all the work that’s gone into building relationships and partnerships with the Native tribes and villages, all the outreach that’s gone into it to make people aware of the census, hiring people from the villages to be enumerators – all of that is a model of what we’re doing all across Indian country. If it happens the way we’ve planned in Noorvik, I expect a very positive response from Indian country over all.”

Data from the census is a primary element in determining the distribution of more than $400 billion in federal funding nationwide. For Native communities, that means funding for Indian Child Welfare, Children and Family Education, employment assistance, food distribution, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, housing, community development block grants, and numerous other programs. The data will affect policy and resource allocations for human service programs for Native communities throughout the country.

According to Zunigha, one of the most challenging aspects of census taking in Native communities is establishing trust.

“The whole idea of mistrust of the federal government – that’s no secret in Indian country – but I think the best thing to overcome that is to emphasis the partnership aspect of the way we’re doing the census in Indian country.”

“Tribal leaders know true tribal sovereignty and self-determination means you don’t let somebody else come in and figure out this data for us. We do it ourselves and we can do our own planning and development for business and communities. I fully expect tribal demographers and data analysts to be using the reports that will be generated. You can bet the people like Harrahs and Bally's and other casino companies are using census data to do long range planning for site locations and businesses. So a good and successful census for Indian country only helps support tribal sovereignty and self-determination.”

Podcast: Details and Depth On The $3.4 Billion Cobell Native American Trust Lawsuit Settlement

Greg Guedel — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:22:28 -0800

The University of California Irvine radio station KUCI’s legal program The Docket has aired an extended segment on the settlement of the landmark Cobell lawsuit between 300,000+ Native Americans and the U.S. government. Host Evan Simon interviewed Foster Pepper PLLC’s Native American Group Chair Greg Guedel regarding the background of the case, the details of the settlement, his discussion with lead plaintiff Eloise Cobell, and what work remains to complete the settlement and lay the groundwork for improved relations between the federal government and Native Americans. The interview can be accessed HERE, or via the Foster Pepper podcast page on iTunes.

Arctic Slope Native Association Launches Major Native Hospital Construction Project

Greg Guedel — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:48:05 -0800

Arctic Ocean Beach in Barrow, Alaska (Nels Akerlund)

In a landmark event that will provide a quantum leap forward in health care for Alaska Natives residing above the Arctic Circle, the Arctic Slope Native Association (ASNA) has issued an $82 million contract for construction of a modern hospital in Barrow, Alaska – the northernmost city in North America. ASNA’s project team worked for more than a decade in cooperation with the federal Indian Health Service to plan, design, and obtain funding for the facility, which will provide much-needed health services to Native communities located in Alaska’s northernmost region.

After signing the historic contract, ASNA President and CEO Marie Carroll stated:

“The ASNA Board of Directors from the Native communities in the Arctic region are happy to see progress on a long-awaited project, which will replace a 2x4 constructed, 45-year old hospital opened in 1964. Everyone in our region is looking forward to having a modern hospital to go to where there are no other options for primary care or hospital services -- the next closest hospital is nearly 300 miles away in Fairbanks, Alaska.”

In addition to the ultimate goal of improved health care for the local Native communities, the project will provide a significant economic stimulus to the region during the two-year construction period. Another noteworthy aspect of the project: the prime contractor that will build the hospital is a joint venture between UIC Construction LLC and SKW/Eskimos, Inc. – both of which are Native-owned businesses. Foster Pepper attorney Greg Guedel, who served as ASNA’s legal advisor during the contract negotiations, noted: “This project is an inspiring example of Native government, Native-owned businesses, and the federal government working together to improve the quality of life for Alaska Natives. The benefits of this work will accrue to the Native communities in the region for generations.”

Back To The Future? Canadian First Nation To Implement Land Allotment Policy

Greg Guedel — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:01:23 -0800

Flag of the Nisga'a Nation (University of Victoria)

In a break from long-standing land control policies, the Nisga’a First Nation in British Columbia is set to begin allotting property to its members, who can then mortgage, lease, or sell it – even to non-Nation members.

The new policy is part of an ongoing effort to improve the economic circumstances of the Nisga’a. After three years of study, the Nisga’a government has concluded that restrictions on private property ownership by its members has been a significant obstacle to financial growth. The new policy will provide Nisga’a members with freehold title to their homes, which they can then sell or mortgage as they please, and the policy may soon be extended to the Nation’s commercial and industrial properties.

This new policy from a First Nation in Canada will contrast sharply with policies among Tribal nations located within the United States. The property allotment policy implemented by the federal government during the 20th Century is generally viewed as having been an economic and social disaster for Native communities. The selling off of Tribal lands, typically at below-market value in order to obtain much needed cash, resulted in the “checkerboarding” of Native reservations and an alienation of Native peoples from their traditional homelands. Tribes also lost control of significant mineral wealth and water/mining rights due to the loss of ownership of their lands. Most Tribes within the U.S. have spent the decades since the end of allotment trying to regain lost lands and return them to permanent Tribal status.

Tribes Turn To Federal Court In Pacific Fishing Rights Dispute

Greg Guedel — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:42:30 -0800

In a case with implications for more than twenty Tribes in the Pacific Northwest, the issue of Native American fishing rights and boundaries in the Pacific Ocean has been brought before the federal District Court for the Western District of Washington.

In an earlier proceeding, the Court determined that the Makah, Quileute, and Quinault nations had usual and accustomed fishing grounds in the Pacific Ocean. It was determined that the Makah’s usual and accustomed fishing grounds “included the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca . . . extending out into the ocean to an area known as Swiftsure and then south along the Pacific coast to an area intermediate to Ozette village and the Quileute Reservation,” as well as certain rivers and lakes. The Court determined that Quileute usual and accustomed grounds included certain rivers, lakes and streams and “the adjacent tidewater and saltwater areas”, and that the Quinault utilized “ocean fisheries” in “the waters adjacent to its territory.” See 384 F. Supp. at 374 (FF 120).

However, the Court did not define the precise boundaries of the nations’ “usual and accustomed fishing grounds” in the Pacific Ocean, and the Court’s decision was limited to waters within the jurisdiction of the State of Washington and within three miles of shore. The question of precise ocean boundaries for the nations’ respective fishing rights remains unresolved. The Request for Determination filed by the Makah Tribe alleges:

On the basis of the information Makah assembled in response to the threat posed by Quileute’s and Quinault’s intent to participate in the Pacific whiting fishery in the manner described above, it appears that Quileute and Quinault have authorized and currently are conducting fisheries for salmon, halibut and black cod outside of their actual usual and accustomed fishing areas. Although Makah, Quileute and Quinault have been able to resolve disputes over these fisheries in the past, the Quileute and Quinault fisheries for these species compete directly with Makah fisheries for the same species.

It is interesting to note that the nations had previously worked out such issues through direct negotiation, but now have placed the power over their respective jurisdictions and economic rights in the hands of a federal judge.

Cobell Trust Lawsuit Resolved In Multi-Billion Dollar Settlement

Greg Guedel — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:59:32 -0800

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Attorney General Eric Holder today announced a settlement of the long-running and highly contentious Cobell class-action lawsuit regarding the U.S. government's trust management and accounting of over three hundred thousand individual American Indian trust accounts. Also speaking at the press conference today were Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes and Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli.

“This is an historic, positive development for Indian country and a major step on the road to reconciliation following years of acrimonious litigation between trust beneficiaries and the United States,” Secretary Salazar said. “Resolving this issue has been a top priority of President Obama, and this administration has worked in good faith to reach a settlement that is both honorable and responsible. This historic step will allow Interior to move forward and address the educational, law enforcement, and economic development challenges we face in Indian Country.”

“Over the past thirteen years, the parties have tried to settle this case many, many times, each time unsuccessfully," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "But today we turn the page. This settlement is fair to the plaintiffs, responsible for the United States, and provides a path forward for the future.”

Under the negotiated agreement, litigation will end regarding the Department of the Interior’s performance of an historical accounting for trust accounts maintained by the United States on behalf of more than 300,000 individual Indians. A fund totaling $1.4 billion will be distributed to class members to compensate them for their historical accounting claims, and to resolve potential claims that prior U.S. officials mismanaged the administration of trust assets.

In addition, in order to address the continued proliferation of thousands of new trust accounts caused by the "fractionation" of land interests through succeeding generations, the settlement establishes a $2 billion fund for the voluntary buy-back and consolidation of fractionated land interests. The land consolidation program will provide individual Indians with an opportunity to obtain cash payments for divided land interests and free up the land for the benefit of tribal communities.

By reducing the number of individual trust accounts that the U.S must maintain, the program will greatly reduce on-going administrative expenses and future accounting-related disputes. In order to provide owners with an additional incentive to sell their fractionated interests, the settlement authorizes the Interior Department to set aside up to 5 percent of the value of the interests into a college and vocational school scholarship fund for American Indian students.

The settlement has been negotiated with the involvement of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It will not become final until it is formally endorsed by the court. Also, Congress must enact legislation to authorize implementation of the settlement. Because it is a settlement of a litigation matter, the Judgment Fund maintained by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Treasury will fund the settlement.

“While we have made significant progress in improving and strengthening the management of Indian trust assets, our work is not over,” said Salazar, who also announced he is establishing a national commission to evaluate ongoing trust reform efforts and make recommendations for the future management of individual trust account assets in light of a congressional sunset provision for the Office of Special Trustee, which was established by Congress in 1994 to reform financial management of the trust system.

The class action case, which involves several hundred thousand plaintiffs, was filed by Elouise Cobell in 1996 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and has included hundreds of motions, dozens of rulings and appeals, and several trials over the past 13 years. The settlement funds will be administered by the trust department of a bank approved by the district court and distributed to individual Indians by a claims administrator in accordance with court orders and the settlement agreement.

Interior currently manages about 56 million acres of Indian trust land, administering more than 100,000 leases and about $3.5 billion in trust funds. For fiscal year 2009, funds from leases, use permits, land sales and income from financial assets, totaling about $298 million were collected for more than 384,000 open Individual Indian Money accounts and $566 million was collected for about 2,700 tribal accounts for more than 250 tribes. Since 1996, the U.S. Government has collected over $10.4 billion from individual and tribal trust assets and disbursed more than $9.5 billion to individual account holders and tribal governments.

The land consolidation fund addresses a legacy of the General Allotment Act of 1887 (the “Dawes Act”), which divided tribal lands into parcels between 40 and 160 acres in size, allotted them to individual Indians and sold off all remaining unallotted Indian lands. As the original holders died, their intestate heirs received an equal, undivided interest in the lands as tenants in common. In successive generations, smaller undivided interests descended to the next generation.

Today, it is common to have hundreds—even thousands—of Indian owners for one parcel of land. Such highly fractionated ownership makes it extremely difficult to use the land productively or to provide beneficial use for any individual. Absent serious corrective action, an estimated 4 million acres of land will continue to be held in such small ownership interests that very few individual owners will ever derive any meaningful financial benefit from that ownership.

Additional Information is available at the following sites: www.cobellsettlement.com.
The Department of the Interior website: www.doi.gov. The Office of the Special Trustee website: www.ost.doi.gov

Waiting Game: Tribal Law And Order Act In Senate Limbo

Greg Guedel — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:35:54 -0800

While crime continues to be a blight on Native lands, The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009 (S.797) is currently awaiting action in the United States Senate. This bill was considered in committee, which has recommended it be considered by the Senate as a whole. Although it has been placed on a calendar of business, the order in which legislation is considered and voted on is determined by the majority party leadership, which is currently led by Democrat Harry Reid of Nevada. In the midst of intensive debate regarding health care reform, the chances for the Act to become law are unclear.

The Act would amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act to make a variety of changes to increase Tribes' law enforcement powers, and increase federal powers and responsibilities regarding crimes on Native land. The Act’s provisions include:

(1) Allowing federal officials, with the consent of the Tribe, to investigate offenses against Tribal criminal laws;

(2) Providing technical assistance and training to Tribal law enforcement officials regarding use of the National Criminal Information Center database;

(3) Requiring federal and local officials, when they decline to investigate crimes on Native land, to report to Native officials and requiring such officials, when they decline to prosecute, to turn over evidence to Native officials;

(4) Establishing in the criminal division of the Department of Justice an Office of Indian Country Crime to develop, enforce, and administer federal criminal laws in Tribal territories;

(5) Authorizing, at the request of a Tribe, concurrent federal-Tribal jurisdiction;

(6) Authorizing grants to state, Tribal, and local governments that enter into cooperative agreements, including agreements relating to mutual aid, hot pursuit of suspects, and cross-deputization;

(7) Requiring the Attorney General to allow Tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement agencies to directly access and enter information into federal criminal information databases (under current law, such access is limited); and

(8) Increasing the criminal sentences Tribal courts may impose.

The bill is supported by numerous agencies including the National Congress of American Indians, National American Indian Court Judges Association, National Indian Gaming Association, and Amnesty International. No organizations have registered a formal objection to the legislation.